bf

Thursday 29 May 2014

Korea seoul free and easy : Food PArt 2 by location

1. Ewha women's university


Great place for cafe hopping.
And if you decide to start your day early, some cafes opens at 8am but not a lot

Kong Rice ball..
Some Recommend it online. 
It is located near to Ewha's university.
Quite interesting but I did not find it very delicious.
However, I only try one riceball so my review is not accurate.

How can I go without eating the street food?
Lots of liitle stall at Ewha selling street food.
These 2 are my favourite, BBQ chicken stick and this chicken cup with ricecakes, potatoes and chicken.






They have this little shop seling the Korean street food we also see them goobling up on televesion.
We even tried the fried green chilli, was not that spicy.

Getting a cold drink on a hot day. Looks true photo and taste as good as it looks
Street food: Pan cake looks like Hoddeok but is a healthy version which is not fried.



2. Dongdaemun

Fruits for a healthy diet and for a happy trip

The above 2 photographs are taken at dongdaemun. If you are in hurry or looking for affordable breakfast, just grab a bread from here.
I did not try so can't comment much except they looked fresh and delicious.



Another breakfast in a cafe. 
The is more mainstream as this is under one of the big franchise so you can find it at a few location.
The breakfast was yummy but nothing unique.
I tried not the original restaurant, taste just as good.
You can choose half a chicken, one chicken or more.
Can choose to add rice cakes, noodles or other items.
The Koreans add the kimchi in.
It is good for people who are not into spicy food.

Jinokhwa Halmae Wonjo Dakhanmari (Jin Ok-hwa Original Chicken Restaurant) (진옥화할매원조닭한마리)
Dongdaemun Station (Subway Line 1, 4), Exit 9.
Go straight 160m and turn left at the Industrial Bank of Korea (기업은행).
Go straight 50m and turn onto the first side street to the right. Continue 100m straight until you see the restaurant.
Jongno 5-ga Station (Subway Line 1), Exit 6.
Turn left onto the first side street and walk 300m.

 If you are shopping at night at Dongdaemun, they also have street food for sale outside migliore or cafe in Doota for you to get food to replenish your energy.

More on Dongdaemun

3. NAndaemun

  


 Yummy Korean snacks like nuts, cuttlefish and dried fruits at namdaemun.
Can be found at the basement at one of the building selling furnishing.
They don't give discount. They like to give services, means extra  small pack of mixed snacks.
Nandaemum also sell Korean street food.
But do remember to visit in the late morning or early afternoon.
Evening is not really a good time as most shop are close and the food seems to be not as fresh.


Nandaemun and Dongdaemun

4. Supermarkets ( E mart and Lotte mart)

My favourite kind of grapes





If you are on budget trip or staying in an apartment, can just can fresh ingredients from the supermarket.
Good place to buy Korean snacks, rice cakes, kimchi

lotte mart
lotte mart and e mart

5. Insadong








A place to drink tea and have some Korean snack.
I check with the tourist information counter before setting off.
Beautiful tea museum is more of a modern tea place. It is location in a narrow alley so it is not easily location
Traditonal tea place is more of the traditional tea place with more traditional snacks. It is located on the second floor
The third is a small tea place that sells a lot of Korean snacks for take away. This is on the main street.
yes, our stomach was so full of tea after trying 2 of the tea places at one shot


They also sell Korean snacks and also the most famous is a pancake that looks shit.
I just could not find the photo for it


6. Hongdae 

Place for Cafe hopping.
Good food and a nice cosy environment.


Extremely cute and delicious pastry shop at Hongdae.
Keep a lookout for it.



Yeolbaong Jjimdak.
Rice cake, chicken and noodles
Can choose spicy level and noodle size.
Opened by a kpop star seven, but it taste good.
Has many outlets, one at ewha too

7. Myeongdong


Yoogane.
Famous reason too, more than 1 branch but I visit the myeongdong branch.
Delicious, can choose to add ingredients 
Good place for supper, lots of restuarant close around 10pm,




My favourite food.
So generous with the seafood.
Andong Jjim-dalk (안동찜닭)
Andong-jjimdak or zzimak at myeongdong
2-22 Myeong-dong 2(i)-ga


Lots of coffee house, just grab a coffee to start you day or just visit one of them to rest and enjoy the free wifi

That what we also see in movies, eating korean snacks by the roadside

Lots of street food available. Spicy rice cake, cuttlefish, bbq chicken and a lot more. Most of the stalls start operating in the evening. So visit myeongdong in the evening 

 Lotteria. Korean fast food branch

more on Myeongdong

8. Kwang Jang Market


I like Gimbap even I don't eat vegetables.
JUst koran seaweed and seasons vegetables

  For the adventurous,  Korean famous pig intestines with glutinous rice and pig blood
 Kimchi dumplings
Pumpkin porridge and red bean porridge

you see a lot of locals eating at the market



9.Random




8 colour flavour bbq pork
Palsaek Samgyeopsal
We ate here because it was covered by a famous Taiwanese TV show. 

It seems to be opening more branches all over the world.
I am not really a big fan of this place. Firstly, the flavour is not distinctive. 
Secondly, they only serve only the fatty pork which taste quite oily after a while.
The previous time I ate bbq pork was in Korea, and we order from different parts so it is not that boring.
The plus is free flow salad and a yummy pot of soup.




The famous gingseng chicken place.
The bbq chicken taste good too.

Just a note, sometimes the dish states 2 person but if you intend to save your stomach for snacks and street food. A plate of 2 can feed 3 pax quite well.
Don't worry about language barriers, sign language and simple english work well
For me, I ask the hotel people to write a note stating " I don't eat beef"

seoul free and easy itinenary

Saturday 17 May 2014

Korea Seoul free and easy: Itinenary & Summary


TRansport

Transport from Airport is quite easy.
There are choices of buses or Korail
Information are available at http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/TR/TR_EN_5_1_1_2.jsp
Is good to take the Korail if your hotel is near to station, if there is a need to change to subway or taxi. It may slightly more inconvenient. You have to take care of your luggages and drag them around although there are escalators around.
Buses have more stops so is convenient if you stay near one of the bus stops. However, there are limited luggage spaces and seats. If you are taking the bus to airport, do leave early.
Three ways to travel from states to states are by air, bus or train.
I tried taking the bus from Yeosu to Busan. It was comfortable with lots of leg space, a toilet break in between. The luggages are stored in the luggage compartment.
For the train ride, luggages are stored at another carriage so if you are worried about the luggages, ask for a seat at the back of the carriage, they have some spaces for the chair to lean backwards. Can used it to store luggages.
By air, is usually to jeju. For domestic flight, just have to be there one hour before the flight.
My blog post on Transport.
For travelling within seoul, the subway is good.
Get the T-money from any subway station, it works like an ezlink card which is very convenient.
There are two version of T-money, one is the card version, the other is a small card around 3cm by 1cm which you can hang on your handphone, camera or bag. I prefer the second version. Both version cost the same.


 3 ways of getting wifi
1. Get a hotel with free wifi or visit cafes as they usually provide free wifi
2. REnt the wifi egg which allowed a 2-10 people to access at the same time. More information, please read my blog post.
3. Buy the 3g sim card.
Can buy and pick it up airport or other location for free or pay to have it to deliver to hotel room.
For those who are following package tour, they can order and have it shipped to Singapore. However, the shipping cost is not cheap. It is around s$20. For 1 GB data sim, it will cost around s$50. Extra charges for nano sim. The delivery is very fast, around 2-3 working days.
http://egsimcard.blogspot.sg/2013/02/how-to-get-free-prepaid-sim-card-and.html

My blog post on wifi and 3g



Hotels I stayed in

City inn and dongdaemun
skypark Hotel


Itinernary FRee and easy Shopping and sightseeing

Day 1:

1. GyeongbokGung 
Perfect place for a morning to catch the guards changing and follow one of their free. When it gets too hot and crowded around noon, can just leave and find a place for a nice lunch. Can try the ginseng chicken at the famousTosokchon. Then go back for a short break.
My blog post on GyeongbokGung


2. SEoul Tower
Best time to visit there will be around 1-2 hour before sunset around late afternoon, timing will differ in summer and winter. Will be able to enjoy seoul in both daytime and nighttime.
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=260067
http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/eng/visit/use.asp
My blog post Seoul Tower
3. Myeongdong
   Walking distance from the cable station. Can go for a nice dinner and shopping.
Myeongdong is more alive at night with stalls with snacks and shopping.
my blog post on Myeongdong



Day 2
1. Deoksugung palace and Changdeokgung
Morning for sightseeing. Can skip Deoksugung if there is not enough time.
deoksugung palace and Changdeokgung Palace



2. Insadong
    Near to Changdeokgung. Drop by for a lunch and some traditional tea and shopping.
first post on Insadong
2nd post on Insadong




3. Dongdaemun
Go back to hotel before heading to Dongdaemun for some late night shopping
my blog post on dongdaemun



Day 3
1. Nandaemun
After the late night shopping, start the day later.
Nandaemun start operating around 10 to 11am.
my blog post on Nandaemun

2. Supermarket at Seoul Station
Just a station away. STock up korean snacks and food..
Supermarket


3. Ehwa women's university
Chill out a cafe. shop or try out the snacks at the roadside stall or visit the university.



Day 4
1. Kwang jang market
After days, should be too tired to wake up early.
Have a branch at Kwang jang market and a stroll at Cheonggyecheon Stream
My blog post on Kwang jang market

My updated unhappy experience at Gwang jang MArket in 2019


2. Hongdae
Hongdae, try to visit it during a weekend. and same as, shop, eat and chill out at a cafe. There are more street performances
Hongdae trick eye museum
Hongdae

Other information on Korea.SEoul Food

Accomodation recommendation:
https://mizztoee.blogspot.com/2019/07/korea-seoul-free-and-easy-grand-hotel.html